The
pattern of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies during January
2007 featured warmer-than-average temperatures across the central and
eastern Pacific (Fig. T18). Accordingly, the SST anomalies
in the Niņo 4 and Niņo 3.4 regions remained positive (latest values of 0.8
and 0.7, respectively) (Table T2).Meanwhile, the Tahiti  Darwin SOI is
negative (latest value: -1.1), primarily in response to
lower-than-average pressure over
Tahiti(Table
T1, Figs. T1 and T19).

The
oceanic thermocline, measured by the depth of the 20ēC isotherm along the
equator, featured above average depth over the eastern equatorial Pacific
and below average depth across the central equatorial Pacific during January
(Figs. T15,
T16). Consistent
with these conditions, oceanic temperatures at thermocline depth were 1-2ēC
above average over the eastern equatorial Pacific and 2-3ēC below average
across the central equatorial Pacific (Fig.
T17).

During
January 2007, low-level easterly anomalies (more than 3.0 m s-1)
were observed over the central equatorial Pacific (Fig. T20). Enhanced convection
(above-average rainfall amounts) was observed across the western and central
equatorial Pacific, while suppressed convection (below-average rainfall
amounts) was seen over the eastern Indian
Ocean,
northeast Brazil and
eastern central Africa (Figs. T25and
E3).

For
the latest status of the ENSO cycle see the ENSO Diagnostic Discussion at: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/index.html